


Like a Wounded Animal

by williaminnit



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Ranboo Needs a Hug (Video Blogging RPF), Trans Male Character, Trans Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Trans Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), i am projecting, ranboo gets a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:41:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29506380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/williaminnit/pseuds/williaminnit
Summary: Ranboo hurt/comfort featuring supportive father Philza, and brotherly dynamic with Technoblade. Basically, I'm projecting really hard on Ranboo and YEAH.
Relationships: Ranboo & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo & Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo & Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 474





	Like a Wounded Animal

**Author's Note:**

> tw: mentions of self harm/self harm behaviors, panic attacks. be safe <3
> 
> this was written in a flurry of me feeling Things about dream smp and projecting onto ranboo really hard so enjoy i guess. its not my best writing, but i've recently wanted to write again so it's a start.

He couldn’t breathe. That was the first thing he noticed when he became aware of his surroundings. He was hyperventilating, and his throat was constricted too tightly.

Ranboo scratched at his face and throat, claws digging at skin as he gasped for air helplessly. This couldn’t be happening again. Not again, he couldn’t deal with it.

Firm and weathered hands pulled his hands from his body, another presence crowding around him as he sunk further into himself. 

“Hey, hey Ranboo, I don’t really know what’s going on, but I need you to breathe okay?” Phil’s voice. Steady, warm, comforting and familiar.

Ranboo felt himself nod, as Philza continued, “In and out, just like that, good job, again...”

Slowly, Ranboo began to blink the darkness from his vision. Philza was still clutching his hands, preventing him from hurting himself again, Technoblade standing only a few blocks away, his eyes clouded with something similar to worry.

He hiccuped, looking to the floor, “I’m sorry.” Ranboo didn’t want to get kicked out of their little Arctic Community, didn’t want to have to return to the Dream SMP lands, the lands with the remains of L’Manburg. 

“What are ya sorry for kid?” Techno’s voice was gruff but soft, the tone clashing with the visuals of the vicious and scarred face of the pigman hybrid.

“M’ sorry for crying and panicking. I shouldn’t make you guys take care of me like that.” Ranboo tried to explain, “I can usually handle this by myself.”

Techno crouched next to Phil, extending a hand slowly, as to not startle the already terrified enderman boy. Phil spoke first, “By this do you mean the panic attack we just witnessed? Because Ranboo, kid, you can ask for help. Neither I nor Techno mind. We all have our demons to fight with. No one said you have to fight alone.”

Techno nodded alongside his mentor, “And Ranboo, it’s not just that, but we all share this space. We are companions. Friends even. Feel free to ask for help.”

Ranboo nodded, pulling his hands away from the men in front of him, and curling in on himself further. “Mkay,” he mumbled, still sort of out of it after his episode.

Philza nodded to Techno, and the pair moved away slowly, without any sudden movements.

\---

Being trans was difficult. Being stealth was more difficult. Especially for Technoblade. 

When he first came out as transgender, he was 14. Philza has just met him, and Techno could tell he could trust the adventurer. He just felt it in his bones. 

Philza was there to buy Techno’s first binder. The man was there when Techno had his first trans-related panic attack. Philza was by his side when Techno decided on a name, whenever Techno needed him, Phil was there. 

And Techno could recognize the signs. Ranboo seemed to be trans.

\---

Philza sighed, his boys were so similar. Ranboo’s behavior mirrored Techno’s when he first got to know the piglin hybrid. The panic attacks, the self-harm behaviors, the same type of heavy breathing and shy glances. Phil thought he was done being a mentor, done being a father. But it seemed like while Techno had outgrown his need for a father, Ranboo was in desperate need for support.

He started off slowly, leaving food out for Ranboo if the enderman slept in, putting small amounts of armor and resources in the boy’s chests. Small things only, things that could be overlooked. Things that maybe the enderchild would forget that he hadn’t gathered himself.

Techno noticed, of course, but he was silent. Quiet and observant, just like he was as a kid. Techno never really was a kid, but still. When the nights were quiet, when the voices were muted, Techno used to huddle by a fire and read myths, tales of old. The closest thing the warrior had had to a childhood was his stories. Philza never bothered him during those nights.

He promised himself that Ranboo would have a childhood. He would.

\---

Techno was never one for subtleties, he was fast and brash and sometimes rude. But he was also thoughtful. When Ranboo began curling in on himself more, folding his tall frame into halves, Techno would drop by the younger man, and grunt out a simple, “Straighten your shoulders.” Ranboo always complied.

The week after Ranboo stopped listening to him, Techno realized the issue. Ranboo probably needed a new binder. Since coming to live in the Arctic Commune, he had not gone to the neighboring villages alone. He hadn’t done much alone, to be honest, and Techno knew firsthand how embarrassing and terrifying it was to come out. He knew how scary it would be to ask for help, for Ranboo to ask for help acquiring a new binder, that would be too much for the shyer hybrid.

So Techno did what he knew best. He told the enderman upfront that he knew.

\---

“Ranboo I need to talk to ya.” His voice was softer than normal, and Ranboo was automatically on guard.

He nodded slightly, staring at the space between the piglin’s eyes, nervous.

“Ranboo, I know.” Simple. Three words. Simple. Easy. Terrifying.

The younger man shrank into himself, “Okay. Okay.” he nodded, he knew this day would come eventually. He just didn’t want it to come so soon. “I will collect my things. It’s okay I will move out.”

Ranboo barely registered the stinging burning pain of tears running down his face. He would be alone again.

For the second time in under a month, rough and warm hands grasped his own, pulling him outside of his head for one blissful moment.

“You don’t have to leave, Ranboo, it’s okay. I know, I could tell because I’m trans too.” Techno’s voice was steady and grounding. Familiar. 

Slowly but surely, Ranboo’s shoulders went slack, his body becoming less and less tense, “You are?”

Techno nodded once, firmly. “Do ya wanna go to the village and get a new binder? You seemed more anxious than usual, and I figured that was the issue.”

Ranboo nodded hesitantly. Maybe he really could trust the elder warrior.

\---

When the duo returned to the house, Philza was waiting with three steaming bowls of mushroom soup and baked potatoes ready for them to share, three place settings on Techno’s table. 

He waited for the pair to settle in before asking, “Did you two get everything you need?” His tone was gentle, and once again, Ranboo nodded, not saying the question on the tip of his tongue.

“Yeah, Phil, we did. I traded some emeralds for a few mending books, and Ranboo got a few potions and things.” No one mentioned what they all knew to be true: that the intent of the trip was simply to acquire new binders for Ranboo.

Phil didn’t need to ask. He didn’t want to scare the boy away again.

Ranboo was home safe, and smiling again. That was all that mattered.


End file.
